[Impact of a smoke-free workplace policy in a company]

To assess the impact of a smoke-free workplace policy in a company.

The impact of the implementation of a smoke-free workplace policy was assessed between October 2001 and February 2003 in a company with 184 employees. Two surveys of the entire staff were performed, one before the implementation of the new policy and the other 14 months after.

Both passive exposure to tobacco smoke and tobacco consumption among smokers decreased. The proportion of workers free of tobacco smoke exposure at their workplace increased from 32% to 84% (p < 0.001) and, among smokers, the mean daily consumption of cigarettes was reduced by 7.3 cigarettes (p = 0.049).

Demarkation of areas where smoking is allowed not only reduces passive exposure to tobacco smoke at the workplace but also seems to encourage smokers to quit smoking or to reduce tobacco consumption.